This young man was named Luo Yang, an orphan from childhood with neither father nor mother!

As a child, he was abandoned in the wilderness and sold many times, suffering untold hardships. The nominal parents he’d had over the years added up to at least a dozen or more!

But because of his mischievous and active nature, repeatedly causing trouble, he was eventually resold each time and never settled down anywhere.

He was even sold into a theater troupe as a child performer, forced daily by the troupe master to practice acrobatics.

It was simply unbearable!

It wasn’t until he turned ten and “became clever,” his mind sharpening somewhat, that he was finally able to escape. He drifted to the marketplace streets and became a small-time hustler.

Making a living by scraping by day to day!

Now, at the age of fifteen, he’d grown quite handsome, though he didn’t care much for grooming himself.

All day long he had a slovenly air about him, dressed untidily, wearing a worn hat, with either a straw or bamboo stick dangling from his mouth.

Full of roguish attitude!

As for his connection with Xiao Ba, they could be considered fated. A year ago, he was helping a group of Tusi people move goods, but ended up transporting a live human being. He still remembered how Xiao Ba had been locked in an iron cage at the time, small and skinny, grayish and dirty, looking at him with eyes that seemed extremely pitiful.

Luo Yang’s heart softened, and he rescued Xiao Ba, but this also provoked that group of Tusi people, who nearly beat him to death. Fortunately, he was familiar with Zhu New City and led Xiao Ba through the city’s winding alleys to shake off that group.

Since then, Xiao Ba had been following him.

Calling him brother!

The two of them squeezed into this small broken-down room, depending on each other for survival, continuing to help passing merchants move goods to earn money.

Getting small profits from it to make a living!

Luo Yang had one hobby—he loved all kinds of rare and unusual objects, especially weapons.

So this time, he’d dared to risk stealing from right under Master Hu’s nose.

Seeing Xiao Ba lying on the wooden plank preparing to sleep, he took out that dagger.

He waved it around in his hand.

Xiao Ba, who had already been lying on the wooden plank, saw it and immediately shot up.

His pair of bright black eyes gleamed as they fixed on that dagger which looked completely unremarkable, saying: “You really got it?”

He still couldn’t quite believe it!

Luo Yang smiled smugly and curled his finger to knock hard on his head: “Of course! Who am I? I’m the renowned Holy Hand Luo Yang of Zhu New City. There’s nothing I want that I can’t get my hands on.”

“Ow!” Xiao Ba rubbed his head.

“If it hurts, that’s good—proves this isn’t a dream.”

“It’s just a broken dagger, isn’t it? It’s not even as big as the knife the pork butcher has.” Luo Yang laughed at him for not recognizing treasures. He lifted his foot and stepped onto the wooden plank, bending down to get close to Xiao Ba’s bewildered face, saying: “Listen here, Xiao Ba. You’ve been with me for a year now, right? You really have no eye for value at all. This dagger isn’t for butchering pigs or sheep—it’s for killing people. One strike to the throat, absolutely no chance of survival! Moreover, meat cut with this dagger becomes incomparably delicious. Take one bite, and it’s absolutely divine!”

As he spoke, his expression took on a sinister quality.

Xiao Ba’s pupils widened, he swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down his back, and said trembling: “Brother… don’t… don’t scare me.”

“Who’s scaring you? How about…” Luo Yang unsheathed the dagger, waving it around with a wicked smile, “I try it out on you?”

“Ah!” Xiao Ba let out a frightened cry and immediately dove under the wooden plank, hugging his head and saying over and over: “Brother, I was wrong, I was wrong! I haven’t done anything bad! Please don’t kill me, I’m begging you, I’m begging you…”

He was scared pale.

Luo Yang found it amusing but also shook his head repeatedly in exasperation.

He reached out and pulled him out from under the wooden plank.

Just like lifting a small chicken.

Xiao Ba said miserably: “Brother, please spare me.”

“Shut up!” Luo Yang furrowed his brow and roared unhappily.

To prevent him from actually slitting his throat with one stroke, Xiao Ba covered his mouth and didn’t dare make a sound.

His eyes widened as he stared at Luo Yang holding the dagger before him.

“Look at you! How can you be so useless? You’ve followed me for a whole year! Are you really stupid enough to think I’d kill you? If I really killed you, who would run errands for me in the future?”

That made sense!

Luo Yang sheathed the dagger.

To prevent really scaring this kid whose courage was as small as a grain of rice.

Xiao Ba breathed a sigh of relief, his fear not yet dissipated, looking innocently at Luo Yang: “Brother, you’re always scaring me.”

He was unhappy!

Then he clenched his dark little fist and swung it at Luo Yang’s arm.

Right after he hit—

“Ah!”

Luo Yang winced in pain, frowning deeply, clutching his arm.

Earlier, when Master Hu had kicked him, his arm bone still hurt.

He’d been forcing himself to endure until now—who knew if it had already swollen inside?

Xiao Ba looked at his own fist, the size of a fuzzy ball, in disbelief, both shocked and delighted: “Wow! I didn’t know my fist had become so powerful! It must be my parents in heaven blessing me with tremendous strength. From now on, I can carry more goods and earn more money! Brother, we’ll be able to eat meat and fish!”

He was extremely excited.

Planning to bow to heaven and earth to thank his parents.

Meanwhile, Luo Yang’s face had turned green!

Disappointed at his failure to meet expectations!

He extended his finger and harshly poked Xiao Ba’s temple several times, gritting his teeth: “You know what? Your head must have been kicked by a donkey.”

“…”

Xiao Ba furrowed his brow.

Luo Yang rubbed his arm and told him: “This is from when I went to steal the dagger and got kicked by that barbarian. He kicked me right in the arm—at the time it almost fell apart. The fact that I came back alive is already pretty good.”

Xiao Ba felt somewhat disappointed, looking pitifully at his own fist, then asked with concern: “Brother, you got kicked?”

“You think getting this dagger was easy?”

“Those blind fools dared to kick you! I… I’m going to avenge you.” Xiao Ba spoke and then prepared to grab a wooden stick to avenge Luo Yang.

Who knows where this foolishness came from?

Luo Yang just felt his brain throb violently. He quickly grabbed hold of him, saying helplessly: “Enough! With your abilities, you want to seek revenge? You’d more likely end up butchered as drinking snacks.”

“Then what should we do? We’re not going to avenge this? What about your arm?”

“Avenge what? I already got the dagger—getting kicked once is getting kicked once.”

“How can that be acceptable? Bullying you is bullying me.”

“Alright, alright, don’t be silly. There were more than a dozen of them. Could you beat them?”

“Can’t beat them!”

“Then what are you getting all worked up for?”

“…” Xiao Ba thought about it and realized he was right, so he had to suppress his impulsive feelings.

Luo Yang patted him, saying: “Alright, it’s getting late. Hurry up and sleep.”

“Okay!” Xiao Ba responded and immediately lay down on the wooden plank.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Instantly starting to snore.

Just like someone without a care in the world!

Although Luo Yang shook his head in disappointment at his failure to meet expectations, his heart warmed.

Because he knew that if something really happened to him, this kid would truly risk his life to save him.

After all, now they depended on each other for survival!

Moreover, in Xiao Ba’s heart, he had long regarded him as his only blood relative.

And wasn’t Luo Yang the same?